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The Junior Boks were heavily penalised during the game, but their fast start to the first half allowed them to still walk away as comfortable winners in the end.
Junior Springbok wing Jaco Williams was on the score sheet, as they beat Argentina U20s in their World Rugby U20 Championship semifinal in Italy on Monday night. Picture: Timothy Rogers/Getty Images
A heavily penalised Junior Springbok team still managed to show enough class to power their way to a comfortable 48-24 win over Argentina U20s in their World Rugby U20 Championship semifinal at the Stadio Luigi Zaffanella in Viadana, Italy on Monday night.
The Junior Boks found themselves on the wrong end of the referee’s whistle, particularly at the breakdown and at scrum time, as they conceded 16 penalties to just six from Argentina, while they also received two yellow cards.
Despite those struggles they still outscored their Southern Hemisphere rivals six tries to three, as they set up a final meeting on Saturday with huge rivals New Zealand U20s, after they defeated France U20s 34-26 in the earlier semi.
Flying start
It was another flying start to the game from the Junior Boks as they ran in four tries in a 14 minute spell, after going over for their first in the eighth minute.
Livewire scrumhalf Haashim Pead was heavily involved, breaking from a ruck and getting close, where the chicken wing offload found inside centre Albie Bester to run in untouched.
Straight from the kick-off Pead was handed his sixth try of the tournament, to go with four try assists, as big loose forward Bathobele Hlekani burst down the middle, offloading to flying eighthman Wandile Mlaba, who in turn found Pead following up to go over to make it 14-0.
Argentina then got themselves on the board with a penalty from flyhalf Rafael Benedit, but the Junior Boks continued on, as flyhalf Vusi Moyo put up a high kick for wing Jaco Williams to chase and score, followed by lock JJ Theron crashing over, both converted by Moyo for a 28-3 lead after 22 minutes.
Most of the rest of the half was then an impressive defensive shift from the Junior Boks, as Argentina bashed away on their line and were largely repelled.
But with two minutes left in the half prop Simphiwe Ngobese was yellow carded after an infringement under a team warning, with the South Americans rumbling over a lineout maul to make it 28-10 at the break.
Second half
The second half started much like the first ended, with the Junior Boks being penalised at the breakdown, Argentina on the front foot, and they went over first in the corner through wing Timoteo Silva, to bring them right back into the game at 28-17 after 52 minutes.
But the Junior Boks managed to calm things down through a couple of penalties to Moyo, moving them into a 34-17 lead in the 58th minute.
Argentina were now making mistakes, and a lost ball in midfield allowed the Junior Boks to snap it up and attack, with outside centre Demitre Erasmus breaking and putting away Bester for the converted score to effectively make the game safe at 41-17 after 60 minutes.
Argentina however kept plugging away, and another yellow card to Junior Bok replacement prop Oliver Reid for repeated infringements again, gave them the extra man and eventually replacement back Ramon Miranda dotted down in the 71st minute.
It was the Junior Boks who finished on top though as wing Cheswill Jooste stepped his way through to put the cherry on the cake on the fulltime hooter.
Scorers
South Africa U20: Tries – Albie Bester (2), Haashim Pead, Jaco Williams, JJ Theron, Cheswill Jooste; Conversions – Vusi Moyo (5), Dominic Malgas; Penalties – Moyo (2)
Argentina U20: Tries – Agustin Campos, Timoteo Benedit, Ramon Miranda; Conversions – Rafael Benedit (2), Pascal Senillosa; Penalty – Benedit
